Over 10,000 people braved yesterday's rain in Shanghai to take part in a charity fun run for cancer research.

The Terry Fox Run, held every year in dozens of cities worldwide in memory of a Canadian cancer victim, took runners around Shanghai Daning Lingshi Park on an eight-kilometer or 4.8-mile course.

"I will keep going, even with my legs dragging," said Qiao Yang, an eight-year-old Shanghai boy who was among the runners. Qiao's mother, named Xue, said her son heard about the event through a friend in Canada.

"He was asking me what cancer was yesterday," said Xue. "He knows that he's doing something good."

Jin Zhaomin, deputy secretary-general of Shanghai Charity Foundation, one of the organizers, said the run had grown in popularity since its beginnings.

"We only had 600 participators at the first Terry Fox Run nine years ago," he said. "Now, many students and faculties from the 27 universities in the city have joined us this year."

Hundreds of expatriates also joined in, including 300 signing up on the day of the race alone.

"This is my first time doing the run," said Helen Parkin from Britain. The teacher from the Shanghai Rego International School said she was taking part in the event alongside nine other teachers from the school.

In 1978, Terry Fox, whose right leg was amputated due to cancer, attempted to run across Canada to raise money for research into the disease. His cancer subsequently spread and he died in June 1981, mid-way through the run.

Last year in Shanghai, about 10,000 runners raised 500,000 yuan (US$62,500).

(Shanghai Daily November 20, 2006)